The Pledge Ritual
The Pledge Ritual'' ''(The Ceremony Of The Vow) is the ninth chapter in Karakuri Dôji Ultimo series. Statistics *'Cover Characters:' None *'Cover Tagline:' "The First......Night." *'Page Tagline:' "Like A Secret...!!" *'Ending Tagline:' "His Best Friend Rune's Transfiguration!! Deep In Darkness..!!! Why?!!" Plot Ultimo explains to his master, Yamato Agari, that the Pledge Ritual literally bonds the master and dôji to become one, but there's a little pain during the ceremony and it's not easy. He mentions that when the master comes into direct contact with the dôji's soul, both of them will become perfectly synchronized, and because the master will counter-balance with the dôji and vice verse, they will be able to obtain the maximum potential of their power. Taking off his shirt, Ultimo asks Yamato to "place his hand inside" him and complete the pledge, but Yamato gets extremely nervous and asks if it okay for him to take a breath of fresh air first, which Ultimo agrees with. Out on the roof, Yamato exasperates about how he doesn't understand how people who can be so frank with things and doesn't know to do. He muses about how the One Hundred Machine Funeral will end the world, but was told he and The Good Dôji Club have to capture Roger Dunstan before that happens, but Yamato doesn't know if he can. He wonders how Dunstan can create this mess way back in the 12th Century, as he existed centuries ago, wonders how it got like this in the first place, and how he is supposed to save the world from its own fate. Looking down over the ledge, Yamato thinks about how there was still time to turn back, but if the world were truly end, then he wouldn't have his future with Makoto Sayama. Then he starts to wonder if he can turn his back to the whole thing, but wonders if he can really get rid of Ultimo, who had commented how's he glad that Yamato not taking the the pledge lightly earlier. Slightly embarrassed, Yamato shrugs off the idea, saying Ultimo is not human, but from behind Ultimo suddenly comes out, startling him. Ultimo apologizes and confesses to Yamato that he was also nervous and worried, so he couldn't stand waiting, making Yamato realize that he does have emotions, but contemplates about what kind. Ultimo says that he understands how hard it was for Yamato to understand, but then corrected himself by saying most humans probably can't understand everything about the Karakuri Dôji and all that's related to them. He reveals that he was born in the far-off future, around the 30th century on Earth, in the laboratory of Dunstan on the North Island State, to Yamato's absolute astonishment. Ultimo specifically tells Yamato that in the year 2989 A.D., the Earth's countries had disappeared and the world was split into two gigantic continents; one continent in the north is full of water and very technological, while the other in the south is full of forests and declined technological advancements. Ultimo nonchalantly continues on about the conflict between the two continents, but is abruptly cut off by Yamato, who is trying to understand what he is saying and struggling to find that right words to speak. Casually, a smiling Ultimo puts in a layman's terms for Yamato; that he is a human-like robot from the future. Flabbergasted, Yamato struggles to processing on the fact that he met Ultimo and Dunstan in a past life, but they are from the future and tries to work it out in his head. Ultimo politely states that there is a better way of understanding for Yamato, but only if it's okay with him. Ultimo reminds Yamato about how the pledge will synchronize the both of them, but with Yamato being a three-dimensional human, he might be able to understand everything and there are limitations. However, Yamato will obtain and be provided with all of Ultimo's memories of the past, present and future in a single instant, but that it is all up to Yamato's choice. Inwardly, Yamato says the time has finally come for him to make the greatest, most important decision of his life, but he already decided the answer a long time ago. Then Yamato tells Ultimo that there one, final thing he needs to know. Yamato questions Ultimo if it was really okay to have him as his master and if he was good enough for this. Touched, Ultimo says "Of course", and light covers the roof of his chest as his soul bursts out of his chest and several limb-like tentacles appears. Ultimo explains that first he must directly connect to Yamato's nervous system to take in information and read his data. He tells Yamato reach in and give him his arm and tells him if it hurt him. Yamato obliged and the limbs reach into his arm, and after a moment, Ultimo tells him it's his his turn to look at his forgotten past, current present, and future in motion. Yamato touches Ultimo's soul and sees multiple memories and visions, including images of his friends, enemies, Roger Dunstan and many unknown people of his past, present and future. In his visions of the future, Yamato sees a mysterious dôji, who dangerously asks Yamato if he has come to be defeated and meet his doom so soon. Yamato sees the dôji start to split apart and transform into his unionized form with Dunstan, which is a giant dragon with a likeness to Dunstan's face, right of front of God Ultimo. Startled, Yamato snaps out of his vision, muttering about how he saw his past, present, and future, and how his arm now has the Karakuri crest, a in the shape of a crane, as proof that they completed the pledge and how it is a sign of Ultimo's power. Back in the present, Hana Koganei brushes the form as nothing special and refuses to lose, and says she is determined to defeat Ultimo regardless. She commands Edile to use Gravity Slap, but Yamato reminds Hana that he told her to leave as Edile gets slap by his own arm. The impact causes Hana to fall off of Edile's head, leaving her falling from the sky, shocked from how Edile got slapped instead of God Ultimo. Yamato revealed that he distorted time and space, stating that Ultimo's ability is to manipulate time and space, showing Hana that God Ultimo's gauntlets transformed into fans. Yamato goes on saying when a master's love runs dry, the dôji returns to its original form, and then uses Time-Slash Dance on Edile. Yamato transforms Edile into his true form, which is much smaller, to his extreme disbelief that he is now tiny. Meanwhile, Hana thinks to herself of how all the dôji travel time, but only Ultimo controls it, and starts to tear up. She silently apologizes to Vice, saying she wasn't strong enough and faints as she continues to fall from the sky, but Yamato catches her in his hand. He comments on how much of a hassle Hana was for making a fuss and suddenly passing out because she got too excited. Yamato says that Hana is sort of cute when she's asleep, then questions Edile on what he is going to do with his master like this and what he should do to him. Yamato tells Edile that for the time being, he'll be coming come to The Good Dôji Club's hideout, but Edile mocks the suggestion and starts flying away, bidding Ultimo farewell. Yamato says the he still doesn't get it and reminds him that Ultimo can cut space and time, with Edile unexpectedly finding himself in the hand of God Ultimo. Glaring, Yamato warns Edile that there are several things that he should listen to and that he has a lot of that he wants to ask him, scaring him. Back inside the classroom, Rune Kodaira intervenes by telling God Ultimo that it would best for him to stop, saying Edile is being his "precious, little" underling and valuable minion. Standing next to Jealous, Rune reveals that he webbed all of his friends and classmates. He threateningly inquires if Yamato would want all of his friends to be injured or hurt. While Yamato is shocked to see his entire class webbed, Rune warns him not to do anything rash and to be careful what he does. Rune threatens God Ultimo that if he even thinks about tampering with time, he will not hesitate to mercilessly strangle all the girls, smugly proclaiming that reading hearts is his Jealous' ability. Yamato is surprised to see Rune and Jealous together and asks why, but Jealous says that there's no point in keeping this "act" up, since he made the pledge he should remember and understand. Rune reminds Yamato when he finally broke through and passed the Raseimon gates, reaching the nobles' residence to attack, he met and became united with a young girl: Lady Gekko. Catching on, Yamato realizes that Rune is the woman, which Rune confirms and jumps out of the window, pulling back his sleeve to show a swirling Karakuri crest pattern on his arm. Free falling, Rune combines with Jealous into Demon Spider, saying he is sick of Yamato's infatuation towards Makoto Sayama and he can't help but be jealous. Characters in Order of Appearance * Yamato Agari * Ultimo * Roger Dunstan (flashback) * Makoto Sayama * Hana Koganei * Edile * Rune Kodaira * Jealous * Akitsu Otake * Kiyose Matsumoto * Hibari Oume Characters Seen in Yamato's Visions Past * Masami Darumada * Hyottoko * Tomomitsu Iruma * K * Lady Gekko * Roger Dunstan * Female Child Bandit Present * Fusataro Fussa * Sumako Miyoshi * Mizho * Hana Koganei * Rune Kodaira * Kaizo Oume * Akira Hidaka * Roger Dunstan * Hibari Oume * Akitsu Otake * Kiyose Matsumoto * Yuu Ekoda * Shinsaku Ekoda * Saishinsaku Ekoda Future * Musashi Murayama * Miyu Murayama * Roger Dunstan * Milieu * Vice Trivia * The family scene Yamato sees when he's imagining his future life with Sayama is almost identical to the photo Eco shows him of his family in Chapter 6. * Dunstan is the only reoccurring character seen in all of the visions Yamato receives from Ultimo. Category:Chapters